Dierks Bentley’s Busy Week
On Wednesday, Dierks Bentley was in Nashville celebrating his 12th #1, “Drunk On a Plane.” The next day, he was off on a three show run, wrapping his 2014 Riser Tour. Then Sunday, he was back in Music City to host his 9th annual Miles & Music benefit concert and motorcycle ride. Just another week in the life of a country music star?
Sunday’s benefit was sold out, with thousands of riders joining Dierks for the short ride from Columbia to downtown Nashville. Among this year’s celebrities were Mike Wolf of the History Channel’s American Pickers and Thompson Square’s Kiefer Thompson. When they got to Nashville, they met up with Chris Young, Kip Moore, Randy Houser, and Jon Pardi for a concert. Before the show, Dierks spoke with the media.
How does it feel to host your 9th annual benefit? I’m always taken aback by this day. I always know it’s coming, and then it comes, all the bikers, police officers, so everybody is so happy to be a part of it. It’s just a feeling of good will. Nine years of doing this, it seems to be easier now, the word is out, it’s a cool thing to do, it’s kind of running itself, for me I just step into this role and it’s fun.
What does it do for your legacy as an artist? I feel lucky to be the face of the event. A lot of people work so hard to make it happen, all the artists and volunteers, I’m blessed and have a lot of gratitude, that it’s still going after 9 years. But the most important person now is God, I think I’m going to send him a tweet to thank him for the weather. We were expecting rain today, and then it cleared up, and He made it happen.
Do you talk to your kids about it? I do, I tell them it’s the show we do for Children’s Hospital, and she gets it, she’ll be down here watching it. At our house there’s nothing that says I’m an entertainer. I don’t want them to think of me in that way. But the community involvement, I’m excited when they come down here and see it.
Did you ride anything special today? No, just my usual bike, but my mom rode with me today, it’s her first time on my bike, I almost dropped her at the starting line, I’m not used to having someone behind me, and I felt her slide off the back and her fingernails dug into my skin, and I thought, Oh no! My 70-year old mom almost went flying off my bike. She loved it, seeing the farms and the pastures, that element of Tennessee was cool for her. She’s at the stage now talking with everyone, having a great time.
Dierks also spoke with the media at Wednesday’s #1 party for Drunk on a Plane:
How does it feel to have another #1? It’s crazy, this song had a long ride to getting on the record, then becoming a single, and now going to #1, it’s been a fun year, and this song has been a big part of that.
You’re nominated for a number of CMA Awards: It’s been a crazy year. I’ve been doing this a long time, and saw it happen to my friends. I really appreciate it now more than before. It’s been fun, the size of the venues, having a song of the summer, and now the CMA nominations, it’s one of those years, but it’s been a great year. I’m really grateful, and having a great time.
You actually own a plane. What’s it like? I got my license in 1997, and put it aside for 15 years. Then in 2011, I was trying to find a way to spend more time with my kids, and you get an extra 12 hours to spend with them. I realize I can afford to be flown in a private jet, but I can afford to fly it myself. I call it the Time Machine.
When did the fans start showing up dressed as pilots? I guess at Red Rocks in Colorado, I saw some girls, and pulled them on stage. I traded my truckers hat for a pilots hat, they knew what to do, it was almost like I hired them. The song has been moving in the set list, and last week, I actually closed the show with it. People expect me to be drunk every time I fly. I don’t. I got a text from Cole Swindell the other day #hammered.
Is today’s party about living in the moment and celebrating those accomplishments at the time? Yeah getting in this spot, I’ve always been willing to work harder than necessary to get to the top. I think I reached a ceiling in 2009, and so I stopped, made the bluegrass record, and from then on, it’s been a more collaborative effort, working with songwriters, letting my manager handle my tour, so I don’t feel like I’m as obsessed with it. I used to be the one who worked with the riggers because I wanted to be involved. Now I’m not afraid to leave the venue to get lunch. Things are improving the more I allow others to be involved.
At the end of the show, Dierks presented a check for $335,479 to the Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital. That was the largest check ever in the 9 years of doing the event. If he could talk, Bentley’s son Knox would say, “Good job, dad!”
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